


"As he's still pouring his drink"

by mebbi17



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Tony Stark Has Issues, anyway... have fun, fic reflects a tony & peter relationship but instead of peter it's you, references his past alcoholism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-20 18:09:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19382005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mebbi17/pseuds/mebbi17
Summary: I walked in, seeing Tony pouring himself a glass of whiskey, and I immediately got very bad vibes. His head snapped up to look at me, and I knew he shouldn’t be drinking, he knows he shouldn’t be drinking, but here we are, making eye contact with each other.





	"As he's still pouring his drink"

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all, enjoy this dumb short little fic I wrote for myself :) tony stark is perfectly alive and okay, why do you ask?

I walked in, seeing Tony pouring himself a glass of whiskey, and I immediately got very bad vibes. His head snapped up to look at me, and I knew he shouldn’t be drinking, he knows he shouldn’t be drinking, but here we are, making eye contact with each other.

As he’s still pouring his drink.

...I also feel very out of line to comment on it.

I’m his protege, he’s about 30 years my elder- am I wrong to express concern to him?

I know that people, even after they recover from alcoholism, can enjoy alcohol on the occasion. But here’s where my issue lies: he’s had a drink every day this week. That, to me, is dancing the line a little bit, for a former alcoholic.

Yet I still feel incredibly awkward asking if everything was okay.

He broke eye contact with me to look down and cap the whiskey, making a gruff noise as he walked over to the alcohol rack (which, I was told, was used for display purposes and for guests. And Pepper, if she ever so felt like it) and placed the whiskey back on one of the hexagonal shelves.

“Tony-”

“It’s not what it looks like, kid.” He said, rather calmly, walking back to where his glass was sitting.

I closed my mouth, watching him take the glass and bring it to his mouth, sucking down the honey-tinted liquid. I felt wrong not saying anything, not even expressing the slightest concern to the person I look up to, the person I care about as much as I care about my parents. It felt wrong not telling him at the very least that I cared about him, and trust that he can handle himself.

I took a deep breath in. “So tell me what it is.” I said, putting on my brave face. I knew that asking was already putting me way out of my comfort zone, but I was ready for the fallout- if there was to be fallout.

He looked at me, then shifted his gaze to his drink. “I’m just enjoying a drink after a long day, it’s nothing to be concerned about.” He replied, picking up his head, his gaze not quite meeting mine.

I crossed my arms, taking a few lazy steps closer to Tony. I needed to express to him that I was concerned, but still have it come off casual. “I understand.” I said, as adult as I could possibly be. “But you’ve had a drink every night this week, and I know recovered alcoholics can still relapse.” I finished, walking up to the counter and leaning on it.

He rolled his eyes, taking a deep breath in. “Appreciate the concern, but I’ve controlled myself, only one drink a night.” He smiled, taking another swig of the drink.

“Alcoholism can really sneak up, Tony. I know it’s only one drink a night, but it’s one drink, every night.” I said, tilting my head to the right, trying to smile through the awkwardness. I knew I had kind of opened Pandora’s box and gave Tony a good reason to be mad or uncomfortable with me, but I knew I had to do it. I had to say something, I can’t let another person I care about succumb to the temptress that is alcohol.

He made eye contact with me. “I’m fine-”

“I know.” I interrupted. “I trust you, and I trust you know what you’re doing. But it can’t hurt to express concern for those you care about, right?” I replied, spreading my arms, looking at him, as he looked back at me.

His face was with the typical dad look, where his mouth becomes an essential line, cocked up at one corner, eyes fairly neutral. He had his tailored Givenchy blue velvet suit, adorned with black accents at the wrists and lapel, meaning that he had some serious business today, but I also know he had been wearing his other assorted ‘finer clothes’ this week, he won’t tell me what he’s wearing them for, but I know he’s just got a bunch of meetings and conferences this week- especially with the Stark Expo coming up, the dude just had a lot on his mind.   
I understood that- but it still doesn’t excuse the drinking.

“A smart man taught me that.” I started, speaking softly. “A man I really look up to and care about too much to not notice a change in him.” I finished, as he took a deep breath in, then groaned.

He put his hand on his face, shaking his head, letting out the longest sigh i’ve heard in my life. “You’re right.” He said, not moving his hand. “I can’t be going down this path again.” He said, throwing his hand down, looking at the drink in his other hand. He sighed walking toward the sink, dumping the rest of the whiskey down the sink and placing the glass gently on the counter.

He stared longingly at the sink, before turning his head to me, walking over to me. “I’m impressed you had the nerve to speak up. It’s not like you” He said, as I shrugged, smiling. “I said what I thought needed to be said.” I responded. “You do it for me when I need it, so I figured I would just repay the favor.”

I was way out of my comfort zone, but in reality, i’m glad that I said something. Sure, it’s ‘improper’ for the younger to look after the older, but who gives a shit about that? When I see someone who may need a nudge back onto the right track, what’s a valid reason to not say something?

Plus, I think I handled it okay!


End file.
